गुशब्दस्त्वन्धकारः स्यात् रुशब्दस्तन्निरोधकः ।
अन्धकारनिरोधित्वात् गुरुरित्यभिधीयते ॥
The above verse from the Upanishad illuminates the literal meaning of the Sanskrit word “Guru.”
The word “Guru” has two syllables: “Gu” and “Ru.” The syllable “Gu” represents darkness, while “Ru” signifies the light that dispels that darkness. Here, darkness symbolizes ignorance, which prevents us from seeing things clearly, just as ignorance obscures the truth. To see things clearly, we need light; likewise, to grasp the truth, we must seek wisdom. The guru transforms an individual from ignorance to knowledge through his actions. Action is driven by knowledge, so the Guru’s role in guiding us from ignorance to understanding is fueled by his wisdom.
A Guru is a knowledge in action, providing the vision that individuals seek. In the real world, the actions can be performed by both human and non-human forms, implying individuals may encounter various gurus throughout their journey. For instance, one story in the ancient Indian scripture (Bhagavata Purana), Dattatreya lists twenty-four gurus, including earth, air, sky, water, fire, the sun, and the moon. Each of these gurus offers unique lessons: for example, the Earth serves as an unwavering foundation, treating all equally, while Air teaches us to embrace every situation with grace, accepting both pleasant and unpleasant scents. Despite the diverse forms that gurus take, they all share a common trait: they engage in action, from which we, as individuals, learn.
Guru’s actions provides the vision that individuals quest.
The bond between a guru and a disciple is forged through action. No matter how profound the guru’s wisdom may be, it is only the insights that are put into practice and the actions deeply observed by the disciple that truly become knowledge.
Consider the guru as the sun, radiating light and heat equally to all. Yet, this same sunlight affects different beings in unique ways: a plant uses it for photosynthesis to grow, water transforms through evaporation, and certain organisms perish under its intensity. The sun itself remains unchanged; it is the way each perceives and responds to its rays that makes the difference.
Similarly, while the guru is a central source of wisdom, the disciple’s quest and sincerity are equally vital in harnessing that wisdom. The intensity of the disciple’s yearning shapes their ability to receive and utilize the guidance offered by the guru.
This quest is what defines the disciple’s life journey. Along the way, as we pursue our quests, we encounter diverse people and environments—some of whom may take on the role of gurus, offering guidance and insight to aid us in our evolution.
The crucial point here is to focus on having the right quest and sincerity to continue with it in any situation rather than seeking the right guru. Strong quest and sincerity helps us to identify right guru which results in having the appropriate guides naturally appearing in the journey. Quest provides direction once an individual starts going in the direction sincerity helps to find right guru to guide him in the journey.
Conclusion
The key to finding the right guru in our journey is having the right quest and sincerity towards the quest. Based on these one will always find the right guru.